Compare towns
Berlin vs Suffield vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berlin has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Suffield has the most people working from home (18.4%).
Thomaston has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Berlin | Suffield | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,361Highest |
15,702 |
7,492Lowest |
| Median age | 48.7±3Highest 18% above CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
41.5±7.7Lowest about the CT average |
| Berlin and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.7 CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.5%±5.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Thomaston and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.5%±3.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 18.5% |
| Berlin and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
34%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±1.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Berlin and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,598±$11k 19% above CT |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
$103,218±$15kLowest 8% above CT |
| Suffield and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,600±$13k about the CT average |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$282,600±$23kLowest 23% below CT |
| Suffield and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$88 6% below CT |
$1,424±$141Highest 4% below CT |
$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
| Suffield and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,291Highest 10% above CT |
$6,456 about the CT average |
$5,915Lowest 11% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.4%±11.3Highest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22 CT: 52.6% |
| Berlin and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% CT: 10% |
4.6%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 14.4%±4.6 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Suffield and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #73 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Berlin School District | Suffield School District | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | Berlin High School | Suffield High School | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
10.9 |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.